The Jacksonville City Council has embarrassed the city often over the years.

You can add another episode to that hall of shame.

It began when Councilman Clay Yarborough quizzed two mayoral nominees to the Human Rights Commission about whether they support prayer in public buildings, the use of "In God We Trust" on government seals and "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

And, while Yarborough was at it, how do they feel about same-sex marriage?

Is there any wonder that some believe Jacksonville is a backwater town?

If there's any body that should have diversity of thought, it's the Human Rights Commission.

Not everyone in Jacksonville subscribes to Yarborough's religious beliefs.

Like it or not, Jacksonville is made up of many different parts, and all deserve representation.

Yarborough's inappropriate questions were embarrassing enough, but he is only one of 19 City Council members.

But at its Tuesday meeting, the full council upped the red-faced factor tenfold.

The vote was 13-5 to not act on one of the nominees Yarborough had questioned, Parvez Ahmed, a University of North Florida professor, Fulbright Scholar and Muslim.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Muslim.

Council Vice President Jack Webb said it was appropriate to send Ahmed's nomination back to the Rules Committee, which had already approved it, for more consideration because of "constituent concerns."

Webb said he had received numerous telephone calls and e-mails questioning the nomination.

Those "constituent concerns" were stirred up by a radical group called Act! for America, which accuses Ahmed of having ties to extremist Islamic terrorists.

Any council member who has paid even the smallest amount of attention to what's going on in the world around them would know that charge is a crock.

Ahmed has been a voice of reason and peace in these troubled times.

But I guess paying attention isn't high on some council members' agendas.

Act! for America is "committed to the dissemination of information about what militant Islam really is, what it believes, what its goals are, how it plans to accomplish them - and why freedom-loving people need to know this," according to the group's Web site.

Act! for America claims Ahmed's nomination is just one more step by Islamic terrorists to "infiltrate" America's institutions.

And they are starting with the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission?

Beware: If it falls into their hands, the Duval County Soil and Water Conservation Board could be next.

Thankfully, five City Council members recognized this for what it was - intolerance in its worst form.

Council members Warren Jones, Reggie Brown, Art Shad, Johnny Gaffney and Michael Corrigan voted against sending Ahmed's nomination back to the Rules Committee.

This relpy is in response to Ron Littlepage's jacksonille.com article “Islamic nominee's ordeal an embarrassment to city” and Wendie Razon’s writer for the Jacksonville Liberal Examiner who wrote the article “The Jacksonville City Council calls for re-vote in Ahmed nomination.”

The shame and embarrassment for the Jacksonville community is with our local journalists. Boy, are you guys really lacking factual presentation to the “hicks” of Jacksonville and the skills to do your job which is present both sides of the story - REARCH – accuracy and fairness are fundamental – to refresh your memory of what you are SUPPOSED to present, look here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalist's_Creed. When thought I wanted to be a Journalist the first class I attended weighed heavily on upholding this CREED.

Here…let me show you what you should have RESEARCHED…

CAIR – established in 1994 by three ex-IAP leaders (Islamic Association from Palestine) Why is this important to know? The IAP is “ a Hamas affiliated anti-Semitic propaganda organization, CAIR refused for many years to unequivocally condemn by name Hezbollah and Palestinian terror organizations, which the U.S. and international community have condemned and isolated.” http://www.adl.org/Israel/cair/default.asp CAIR is also supported by the organizations who make up the Muslim Brotherhood of North America.

What does the Muslim Brotherhood of North America say and believe in – “Manifesto of the Muslim brotherhood in N. America”?

Page 7 Set up Islamic Centers, Islamic Organizations and Islamic schools to achieve their ultimate goal to “sabotage it’s miserable housed of the West so they will be expelled and our religion is made victorious over all other religions”

Page 7 “Work in America is grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within”

In Florida, which is where us “hicks” live, specifically the ones in Northern Florida that you mention it is good to know your neighborhood organizations - “CAIR's Florida chapter operates a Web site that makes anti-Semitic material available for visitors interested in learning about Islam. CAIR also organizes anti-Israel rallies during which protestors and speakers engage in anti-Semitic rhetoric, use offensive Holocaust imagery likening Jews and Israelis to Nazis, and express support for terror groups. “ http://www.adl.org/Israel/cair/default.asp

And lets not forget our wonderful resource, Wikipedia, the quick reference to anything where you could have found a lead…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Land_Foundation_for_Relief_and_Development

So, when a citizen, a politician or an organization questions if you are going to uphold what our country is founded on and our principles that our forefathers established … ask why they are concerned then do some research instead of portraying them as ignorant and an embarrassment to the community.

I have given you the facts - what you give are opinions with no sources to prove your blabbering.

As Paul Harvey would say “And now (slight pause) you have the rest of the story”.

I have to start with admission that I am Ron Littlepage fan. I think he brings a balance to a very conservative editorial page even though I think Florida Times Union has been trying to present a more balanced approach on their editiorial page that I read daily.

After a review the comments on page and short look at Act for America site, I questioned who would you trust to provide information Ron Littlepage or Act for America. I am mistrustful of individuals that or groups that imply they are acting for our best interests by trying to scare us. My visit to the site last only few seconds because I find little information when someone is trying to scare me. They normally want to act visceral level and not think. I choose the to think for myself. I am retired and Senator McCarthy comes to mind when thinking about Act for America.

As for the appropriateness of questions asked by city councilman, I agree with comments that councilman can likely can ask anything. I do not know if I would ask a distinguished college professor at local university is he understood "In God We Trust" or "under God" meant. I would figure he would think that I am uneducated since these messages while different meanings to many of us are understood in culutural perspective. I defend city councilman's right to ask dumb questions as long he defends my right to categorize as dump and inappropriate.

On the question should you put one of those card carrying ACLU members on Human Rights Commission. I personally use inflammartory "card carrying" language. Since it appears that the goal of the ACLU is to protect the rights of Americans consistent with the Constitutions's Bill of Rights, it would seem like a no brainer to pick someone who support an organization that defends Bill of Rights.

I close with warning against all fundamentalist rants (Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Theists, and right-wing and left-wing crazies) who tell us what we can say and not say and what we should think to be true Americans.

This is the issue folks. Dr. Parvez Ahmed is named in an active federal lawsuit - as we speak. When Ahmed was the leader of CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) they hired a lawyer named Morris Days. Morris Days is alleged to have defrauded both Muslims and Non-Muslims who seeked CAIR's services regarding Immigration matters - CAIR took their clients money for legal services.

PROBLEM: Morris Days was not a licensed attorney The lawsuits allege that Morris Days, the “Resident Attorney” and “Manager for Civil Rights” at the now defunct CAIR MD/VA chapter in Herndon, Virginia, was in fact not an attorney and that he failed to provide legal services for clients who came to CAIR for legal representation. CAIR knew of this fraud and purposefully conspired with Days to keep the CAIR clients from discovering that their legal matters were being mishandled or not handled at all. According to the complaints, CAIR knew or should have known that Days was not a lawyer when it hired him. But, like many criminal organizations, things got worse when CAIR officials were confronted with clear evidence of Days' fraudulent conduct. Rather than come clean and attempt to rectify past wrongs, CAIR conspired with Days to conceal and further the fraud.

Until this case against Dr. Parvez Ahmed is settled - his nomination should be postponed because it involves fraudulent "civil rights" issues not to mention if it was any other person he would have been vetted out of the nomination process in the early stages.

CAIR just filed to have the Morris Days case dismissed - coincidence perhaps - or does Parvez Ahmed still have close ties with CAIR and they are working together to remove this skeleton from Ahmed's closet to rush the appointment?

One more factoid to consider: CAIR is listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation Terrorist Funding Trial which several people were found guilty and jailed or deported. The FBI severed all relationships with CAIR after the guilty verdict.

All this talk about Hate, Islamophobia, and personal character destruction is meant to deflect from the FACTS that are in play right now.

Parvez Ahmed has a huge legal case hanging over his head that will have to play out in the federal courts. Alleged Defrauding of people seeking Immigration services is under the mission of the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission in theory. Ahmed should not be on the Commission based on this fact alone.

These are the facts we should be discussing because that is all that is relevant. All the racial attacks and Political Correctness is meant to deflect and keep the facts from being front and center in this debate.

I've been to Muslim countries and the articles that Mr. Littlepage writes here wouldn't be allowed there. He probably wouldn't last too long as they view everything one way, dissent is not allowed. That's what makes this country what it is, different views and the ability to express them openly. Mr. Littlepage reminds me of my sister, who is a liberal, she told me one time years ago that people shouldn't be allowed to vote because they don't know what they are voting for, only she has the true vision of the way life should be. I am a republican but have voted for Democrats who in the past are the better candidate, like Sheriff Glover. Some of the things of the left are good but for the most part they want the government to take care of a person from birth to death, which stifles people's imagination, drive to do better and basically makes people lazy.